Sanctuary
by Chrome Hearts
Summary: A dark secret meant that Blaire Costello was never going to fit in at Hogwarts. She was placed in Gryffindor against all odds, her Potions teacher has it in for her and she has befriended the Trio; wherever they go - trouble follows. And she was hoping for a quiet, uneventful stay at Hogwarts. Oh, how horribly wrong she was.


Title; Sanctuary  
Authoress; Chrome Hearts  
Style: Chaptered Series  
Chapter: Trains, Toads and Hogwarts  
Fandom; Harry Potter  
Main Focus; Cedric Diggory x OC (ish) OC x OC  
Rating; T+

**Authors notes: So, this is… Actually pretty ancient. Very, very old indeed. And, to be perfectly honest, I don't know why I'm uploading this on here.  
Please keep in mind that the first ****two** **chapters contain first and second year mashed into them. I didn't want to waste too many chapters on an introduction to the characters. After that, the third year and onwards are spread out over the chapters.  
Yep, that's about all.**

_**Disclaimer; All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended**_

* * *

_**.**_

At long last, I had finally received my letter. My letter into acceptance; a letter inviting me to attend Hogwarts: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that is.  
It wasn't as though I wasn't expecting in, I was actually hanging out for the letter.  
Each morning when the post arrived, I would dash down the stairs, shoo poor Harrum - the family's Rusty Owl- out the window and ravage through the piles of letters until I finally came across the one I was looking for.  
Quickly, I tore open the end of the envelope, ignoring the neat, emerald writing on the front; it wasn't like I needed to know where I lived, or my name for that matter, I'd been in the same house for eleven years... And I was fairly sure my name hadn't changed in that time, either.  
"Finally," I said, grinning triumphantly. "It's about time."  
"Well done, Blaire," my brother, Denzel sniggered. "Was wondering if you were ever going to be accepted into that school, or if you were too weak for it."  
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Denz. You're brilliant as always for my self-esteem."  
"Happy to help," he snorted.  
My eyes glanced over the letter once more before I turned to head upstairs to pack a few belongings – Father had already taken me in Diagon Alley to purchase a few essential things such as a cauldron, quills, parchment, textbooks – a source at the Ministry had already tipped him off about what textbooks I would need this year- and the plain black Hogwarts robes. All I really needed was a wand, which I would get in the next day or so.  
A hand caught my shoulder and I turned.  
"What now, Denzel?"  
"Remember; be the strongest kid in your year, alright?"  
I rolled my eyes. "Sure."  
"And the smartest."  
"Whatever you say," I said sarcastically.  
"Aim to be the top."  
I stared at him for a minute, trying to keep my amused smile hidden. The only time he feigned interest in me was when he knew there was a chance of me 'following in his footsteps'. Ha. Not likely.  
"Remember, Blaire. Dad and I: We're counting on you to be the top Slytherin at school now that I'm not there anymore."  
"That's a bit out of my hands, Denz," I sighed. "Doncha think? I mean, I might not be in Slytherin."  
"Don't worry, you will be in Slytherin."  
"And if I'm not?"  
"You _will_ be."  
I turned to leave the sun room. "We'll see," I said quietly.

* * *

Slightly nervous, I made my way through the hallway of the Hogwarts Express.  
Everywhere I looked, confident faces of older students beamed out at me.  
Sucking in a slightly nervous breath, I shuffled along, looking for a partially empty compartment.  
After a few minutes of searching, I stumbled across one occupied by two people; a bushy brown haired girl and a small, timid looking dark haired boy- both first years, I decided.  
Slowly, I slid open the glass door, a sheepish smile on my face.  
"Do you mind if I sit here?"  
The girl with curly brown hair lifted her nose out of a thick textbook and smiled.  
"Not at all," she grinned before returning to her reading.  
I sighed, relieved, sitting next to her before pulling out a copy of Hogwarts; A History dropping it on the seat next to me – that thing was heavy!  
I heard a light giggle and looked up at the girl.  
"I see we have the same taste in books," she smiled.  
"Yeah," I grinned, noticing a copy that lay across her legs for the first time.  
"I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger. Pleasure to meet you."  
She offered a hand, the smile still on her face and I could immediately tell that we would be great friends... Or rivals... She was Ravenclaw material for sure.  
"It's nice to meet you too, Hermione. I'm Blaire Costello."  
After what felt like hours of gossiping about spells, potions and rules that we had already read about, I cast a glance over to the black haired boy. He was frantically looking out the window. Hermione, obviously, noticed it too.  
"Something wrong, Neville?"  
The boy nodded his head.  
I sighed. "Feeling home sick so soon? If you are trying to figure out the best way to climb out, may I suggest the end carriage?"  
The timid boy called Neville forced a smile.  
"N-no, it's not that... I can't find my toad. Trevor's gone!"  
Hermione closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath.  
"Blaire and I will look for him; you stay here in case he comes back, OK Neville?"  
Without another word, I was dragged from the small compartment and forced to walk up and down the hallway, asking people if they've happened to come across a stray toad.  
"You check in that compartment, Blaire. I'll check over here," Hermione instructed, gesturing towards a slightly askew glass door.  
"Right-o, Mon cappytan," I said, following her line of sight and into a compartment.  
"Have any of you seen a-"  
I looked around at the occupants, a blond boy with a hard face sat in between two large, burly looking boys. An equally as large girl with a sort of pig-nose sat opposite him. They all looked up as I entered, each with a nasty sneer on their face.  
"Never mind..." I said, smiling sheepishly and backing out of the compartment.  
Not to friendly now, are we?  
They continued to stare out of the open doorway until I disappeared out of their view, and ducked into a compartment a few down from theirs, more for a safe hiding place than to ask about the toad.  
"Uh," came a voice from behind me, and I scowled at the glass door, turning slowly around.  
"Sorry," I said. "There are some scary kids here, I needed a hiding place and-"  
I looked at the two people who sat on either side of the compartment; twins! And they can't be any older than second years.  
One of the twins patted the seat next to him and I smiled. "Mind explaining?"  
"Sure," I grinned, sitting awkwardly down next to him and began talking about of the blond boy a few compartments up with ego issues and Neville's missing toad.  
"Oh..." Said the twin opposite. "Sorry, but we haven't seen a toad."  
"Right, thanks anyway, uh..."  
"Koda," said the boy sitting next to me, as he shook some black hair out of his eyes.  
I smiled and turned to his brother.  
"Riley," he nodded, "and you?"  
"Blaire. Blaire Costello."  
"Nice to meet you, Blaire," Koda grinned.  
"Likewise."  
A hasty knock on the glass door made us look up and I gasped, jumping to my feet.  
"Have they seen Neville's toad, Blaire?" Hermione asked, peering in.  
I shook my head and moved towards the door, smiling apologetically to Koda and Riley.  
"How many compartments have you been into?" she asked after I had followed her out, and I gulped.  
"Two," I said quietly.  
Hermione sighed. "Well, that's a start, Blaire. Try that compartment over there." She pointed to a half open door.  
I pouted, mock-saluting to her back as I trudged over to the open door and, flicked it fully open with a finger and lent against the frame.  
"Have any of you seen a toad?" I drawled.  
All the occupants of the small room turned to look at me.  
Closing my eyes for a second, I sighed. It was no wonder Hermione didn't want to come in here herself, it was full of a bunch of fourth year and older looking boys.  
"Why? Did you lose one?"  
I shuddered at the though.  
"No, it belongs to a boy called Neville, though; something tells me this isn't the first time he's lost it..."  
"Figures... I couldn't picture a girl having a pet toad, right Cedric?"  
Cedric, his well-built friend, nodded muttering a brief 'Yeah, toads aren't for girls,' before returning to reading a Quidditch magazine.  
Frowning, I folded my arms across my chest. "And, what's that supposed to mean?"  
I smiled to myself as Cedric's head shot up at once, realisation as to what he had just said dawned across his face.  
"Nothing," he said, reassuringly. "I just meant girls shouldn't have pet toads because they aren't pretty, and-"  
"What about one of the first year girls I met on the train just now, Pansy, I think her name was... Wasn't too friendly, but oh well. I mean, sure she could be mistaken for one herself."  
Cedric paused for a moment, thinking of a way to answer before a wide grin cracked across my face and I burst out into a fit of laughter.  
Oh, Hermione you have no idea what you are missing out on.  
Cedric looked up at me and smiled, he and his friends joined in laughing.  
"You know," one of his friends began breezily, pulling me down into a small gap on the chair between himself and Cedric. "You're not so bad for a first year."  
"Hey, thanks." What's so bad about being a first year? You had to start somewhere...  
"So, what brings you to Hogwarts?"  
I grinned. "Well, the letter actually."  
"Oh yeah, right! I forgot about that." The boy smiled sheepishly.  
We talked about absolutely everything Quidditch related, and I'd completely lost track of what I originally left my compartment for until-  
"Blaire!" Hermione hissed from the doorway as she glared at the boys I was squashed next to.  
I looked up at her and blinked innocently.  
"Time to leave already?"  
Hermione sighed.  
"Have any of them seen Neville's toad?"  
A frown came across my face and I strained my mind for an answer.  
"Oh, I uh... Forgot about that. Sorry, Hermione."  
Hermione's face softened.  
"It's ok. You should go change into your robes, Blaire. Just about everyone else on the train has."  
I looked down at my attire and nodded. It wasn't really the type of clothing Hogwarts liked... Or allowed...  
"Sure!" I hopped up and skipped out of the carriage, Hermione at my heels muttering something along the lines of 'Honestly, boys these days...'

* * *

The big oak doors of the main hall swung open and all the first years walked nervously inside, hundreds of eyes staring at us - anxious to see who will become their fellow peers.  
Instantly, I was engulfed in the warmth that circled inside the Great Hall, relieved to be standing on solid ground rather than be out on the lake, bobbing up and down on a tiny little boat.  
"-It's not real, that ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts; A History," Hermione informed those around her who weren't about to pass out from sheer nervousness.  
"Page 471, Chapter Six, right?"  
"Right! Did you read about the moving portraits in Chapter Seventeen Blaire?"  
"Shut it, you two," a boy with red hair and freckles hissed from in front of us. He turned his head slightly to face us and I could see that he was turning a sickly shade of white  
Hermione and I chatted away, completely oblivious to the tension growing in the room.  
"When I call your name, you will step up here, and I will place the sorting hat on your head-"  
The lady who had introduced herself as Professor McGonagall unravelled a long strip of parchment, slowly calling students' names.  
"-Hermione Granger."  
"Good luck," I muttered, flashing her a supportive smile.  
"Easy for you to say," she whispered back. "You have no shame."  
"Yeah, well..." I winked.  
She practically bounded up to a small, three-legged stool and sat down, eagerly, cramming the hat onto her head.  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief and hurried off towards a long table.  
"Susan Bones," Professor McGonagall read out, and a timid looking girl with a round, heart-shaped face and tawny hair made her way nervously up to the stool.  
The hat was placed on her head and the small rip in the brim opened, and it began to talk to itself.  
After a moment, it straightened itself up and shouted; "HUFFLEPUFF!" out to the awaiting crowd.  
As the seemingly endless list of names were being called out, and the line of anxious first years slowly shrank, it was my turn to be sorted.  
"Blaire Costello."  
I sucked in a sharp breath and started forward, making my way through the gaps between remaining students.  
It took longer than the people before me to get sorted. While the hat was looking around in my mind, my eyes travelled over the Great Hall looking for Koda and Riley. Managing to find Koda sitting twelve seats down from Hermione, I frowned. Why wasn't Riley with him?  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
"Finally..." I murmured and hopped down off the stool, making my way towards Hermione, waving happily more at the cheering crowd.  
"For a second there, I thought for sure that you'd be in Ravenclaw," She yelled over the roar of the crowd.  
I smiled at her. "Me? Smart? Hardly."  
I felt someone sit down next to me and I looked away from Hermione.  
"Koda!" I grinned.  
"Welcome to Gryffindor, Blaire."  
"Ronald Weasley!" Professor McGonagall announced, and the on looking crowd fell silent once more.  
After the Sorting Hat placed him in Gryffindor, Hermione, Koda and I clapped along with the rest of the table.  
"Draco Malfoy!"  
I stuck my tongue out at the blond boy's back as he made his way up to the stool. The hat had barely touched his head before it shouted out 'Slytherin!'  
Elliot Fletcher and Joshua Richards became Ravenclaws as quickly as Madison Taylor became a Hufflepuff.  
"Harry Potter!"  
The crowd didn't fall silent this time. Instead, a ripple of eager whispers washed across the room. Poor Harry looked oddly calm, though pale.  
He took a lot longer than any student so far to be sorted, but finally was placed in Gryffindor. Relieved, he hurried over towards us as the roar from out table filled the Hall.  
Finally, after each and every first year was sorted into a particular house, Professor Dumbledore began the feast with a sweep of his hand.  
"Koda?" I asked as I scooped some roast pumpkin onto my plate. "Where's Riley? I can't see him."  
Koda arched an eyebrow then smiled. "Oh, he's over there." He pointed to a table on the opposite side of the Hall.  
"He's in Slytherin?" I asked, slightly shocked. "Why? You're identical. Shouldn't you be in the same house as each other?"  
"Apparently not..." Hermione said, taking a sip out of her goblet.  
"But if we were," Koda said thoughtfully. "He'd be coming over here. There's no way I'd be hanging out in a cold dungeon out of my own free will."

* * *

Potions; the one subject I was not looking forward to. Potions with the Slytherin's. Potions with Draco Malfoy. Not a pleasant way to start the day. Hermione, rather excitedly might I add, practically ran down the stairs and into the dungeon for her first Potions lesson, dragging me along behind her (Koda had told me just how enjoyable an hour and a half of Potions was.)  
Because Hermione was so eager, we ended up out the front of the classroom with twenty or so odd minutes until class began.  
I closed my eyes and leant against the wall. "So, I missed out on half an hour's sleep to hang out in a freezing dungeon? Wow, Koda was right."  
"Oh, it's not that bad," Hermione sniffed, pulling her cloak closer to her.  
I shot her a sideways smile. "You were saying?"  
"Well," she began, her fingertips flicking the cover open of a particularly large Potions text book open. "Koda just doesn't like Potions, that's all. And besides, we can always revise before our first lesson."  
Revise for _what,_ exactly? "Uh, sure."  
Eventually, the class gathered around us, waiting for the Professor to arrive, and when he finally did, Hermione and I made our way inside; me a little more reluctantly.  
Grunting quietly as we took our seats, I rested my cheek on the palm of my hand and stared boredly at the front of the room.  
"Wait, he's bottling what?" I hissed to Hermione during Professor Snape's opening speech.  
Snape froze, pivoting slowly to face me, scowling. I matched his stare.  
"What?" I asked blankly.  
An elbow flew into my ribs and I tilted my head to the side, looking at Hermione.  
My eyes went wide as I realised what I had just said and slowly, I turned back to look at Professor Snape. His lip curled up into a smile.  
"Five points from Gryffindor," he said softly. "And all your little Gryffindor friends can thank you for that, Costello."  
I was going to say 'Does Gryffindor even have any points yet?', but by the severe look I received from Hermione –and the taunting look from Malfoy- I decided it'd be best if I kept my mouth shut.  
Snape's black eyes lingered on me for a second more before he spun back to continue towards his desk, his long, black cape flaring out behind him. I made a face at his back as he wrote up the potion we would be attempting that lesson, grumbling quietly under my breath when he wrote 'Students are to work in pairs chosen by me.'  
Please let me work with Hermione. Please, please, pl-  
"Costello!" Snape barked. "You're with Parkinson!"  
Oh, go choke on an apple, you greasy- "What are you sniggering at, Parkinson?" I growled, dropping my books and cauldron onto the empty spot on the table next to her.  
"I bet you were wishing you were partnered up with Granger, don'cha, Costello?"  
I hesitated, only just refraining from kicking her under the table. A small grin played across my face. "No, actually I wanted to work with you."  
"Really?" Pansy snorted. "Why?"  
"Because," I said as innocently as possible. "You've got potential. See those spines there?"  
She followed my gaze. "Yeah…"  
"Tip them all into the cauldron, then add some crushed Newt Eyes and grinded Wormwood."  
"But," Pansy began. "It says to add the Spines last and…"  
"Trust me," I said.  
"Ok," Pansy smiled toothily, tipping the entire board of them into her cauldron. "Now what?"  
I grinned to myself. Potions wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

"You lost fifteen points for Gryffindor in one Potions class?" Cedric asked as we circled a courtyard near castle's entrance. "Professor Snape won't be too happy with you."  
I smiled up at him innocently. "When is he ever happy, Ced?"  
He chuckled to himself. "You have a very good point."  
We crossed the courtyard and made our way to sit on a stone seat that bordered a nearby corridor.  
"So," Cedric said, smiling politely. "How are you liking Hogwarts?"  
"I'm loving it, actually. Besides Potions, that is. I mean, come on! It wasn't that big of an explosion. The greasy git is just overreacting."  
A throat cleared from behind us and I gulped quietly.  
"Five more points from Gryffindor, Miss Costello."  
Cedric and I waited until his footsteps had disappeared before bursting out laughing.  
"Ok, better make that twenty points, Ced."

* * *

Hermione and I sat in the Quidditch stands along with Ron and the rest of the school, stomping, screaming and shouting out chants.  
"Come on, Harry!" I tried to call over the roar of the crowd. "Go Koda!"  
Fred and George circled the tower-stands, waiting for the match to begin. Nervous, Harry hovered above the rest of the team, staring down his opponent.  
Madam Hooch began the match and the roar of the crowd began once more.  
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor-" Fred and George's friend, Lee announced into the microphone. "Great pass to Alicia Spinnet there, who neatly dodges Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint – passes it to Chaser Koda Ryder – back to Johnson – ANGELINA JOHNSON SCORES! 10 POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"  
The roar of the crowd was deafening, scarlet and gold scarves and banners waved in the icy breeze.  
"Alicia's got the Quaff- no, Flint's got the Quaffle now and is hurtling back down the pitch – an excellent save there from Gryffindor Keeper, Oliver Wood – Adrian Pucey is in possession of the Quaffle for Slytherin – No, wait! The Quaffle's been taken by Ryder – he's making his way up the pitch now – Passes to Spinnet – Back to Ryder – OUCH!Ryder has been hit in the stomach by a Bludger sent his way by Slytherin Beater Riley Ryder!"  
Koda slipped sideways off of his broom, maintaining his grip with one gloved hand. Riley watched on, a few meters away, not getting any closer.  
The Slytherin students hooted gleefully from the opposite side of the stadium chanting; 'Drop! Drop! Drop!'  
Koda rocked his body back and forth a few times, getting the motion he needed to swing himself back onto his broom.  
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air.  
I clenched my jaw. "Riley is Koda's brother! Why did he just hit him with a Bludger?"  
Ron leaned across Hermione. "Koda told Fred and George the other day that Riley had been hanging out with Flint lately and, well… Flint isn't exactly the nicest person."  
"But, they were so close…" I began, but Ron didn't hear. He was once again engulfed in the match before us. I turned back around, too, relieved to find that Koda wasn't too badly injured.  
"-And Ryder is back in the game!" Lee called into the microphone. "And, he's got the Quaffle – Flint in possession of it now – just dodges a Bludger, sent his way by Fred Weasley, on'ya, Fred! Ahem, Flint passes to Pucey – back to Flint – Angelina Johnson takes the Quaffle, a clear field ahead of her and – Was that the Snitch?"  
At this, Harry's head shot up, his eyes darting over the pitch, searching. Something glittered in the distance and he started forward.  
"And he's off, Gryffindor Seeker Harry Potter has seen the Snitch – Slytherin Seeker, Terence Higgs hot on his tail - And they're neck on neck, hurtling towards the – And, they've lost sight of it."  
Harry jerked his broomstick upwards, and he began to rise upwards once more.  
"-In all that mayhem, it seems as though Gryffindor is in possession of the Quaffle once more – Koda Ryder dodges a Bludger and Marcus Flint – goal posts are just ahead of him – Keeper Bletchley dives – narrow miss – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"  
"Woo!" I cheered, clapping loudly. "Well done Koda!"  
Koda did a backwards loop-the-loop and shot off in the opposite direction once more.  
From beside me, I felt Hermione tense. Ron did the same.  
"What's wrong with Harry's broomstick, Blaire?" Hermione asked.  
My head shot up and I quickly scanned the sky for Harry, though, I can't say it was that hard – He was the only one whose broom was trying to roll it's occupant off itself, and spinning higher and higher into the sky.  
I let out a small gasp.  
Fred, George and Koda reached Harry, and all tried to pull him onto the nearest broomstick, but it was no good – each time they tried to get near him, Harry's broomstick would lurch higher into the air.  
Hermione seized my pair of binoculars and looked intently through them.  
"Erm, Hermione, dear," I said slowly. "Harry's up there, not over-"  
She held up a hand. "No, look! It's Professor Snape!"  
I peered through the binoculars too and frowned. "He's jinxing Harry's broom!"  
"Wait here!"  
Hermione forced the binoculars into Ron's hands and disappeared through the crowd, now all watching Harry.  
"Come on, Hermione!" Rom muttered anxiously from my side.  
And, just like magic, Harry's broom returned to normal. Something golden darted across his face and he froze.  
"-And I think that was the Golden Snitch!" Lee announced to the onlookers.  
Harry dived forward once more, but this time, without Higgs trailing behind him.  
He was speeding towards the ground when suddenly, he clamped his hands over his mouth, he fell to the pitch on all fours.  
I winced, looking down. "It looks like he's gonna-"  
Harry had cupped his hands and coughed something golden into it.  
"HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" Lee roared, "GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

* * *

"I don't care, Riley! He's your brother! You could have _killed_ him!" I was positively fuming now.  
"Blaire," Koda soothed from behind me, slightly embarrassed that I chose the Charms corridor to corner his brother and yell at him, not to mention a large crowd was forming. "It was only a game. He-"  
"Bruised all of your stomach and fractured a rib? Koda, he shouldn't have-"  
"How do you know that it's bruised, Costello?" Riley hissed. "Did Koda show you?"  
"No," I said, my fists clenching. "He told me!"  
"Blaire, what's wrong?" Cedric asked as he made his way out of his Charms classroom. "Who are you yelling at?"  
"She's yelling my brother," Koda said quietly, looking down. "C'mon, Blaire. Can't we just drop it…"  
Cedric reached my side and put a hand on my shoulder. "Riley," he said coolly.  
Riley's eyes narrowed. "Back off, Diggory, you don't have anything to do with this."  
Koda tugged gently on the sleeve of my robe. "Please, Blaire, it's fine. Let's just go."  
"Listen, Riley," I snapped, my eyes travelling over to his Captain. "You too, Flint. If you ever touch Koda again, I swear I'll…"  
Great, I don't have anything to say to that.  
"Do what?" Riley snickered. "Publically humiliate yourself and my brother? Go for it. I don't care, he's not my friend."  
"That still doesn't give you a right to hurt him!"  
Riley shrugged. "He got in the way."  
Something inside of me snapped. My open hand collided with the side of his face and the sound it made echoed throughout the corridor.  
"Blaire," Cedric whispered. "You… Slapped him?"  
I balled my hands up, breathing heavily.  
Riley touched his red cheek gingerly, staring at me.  
"So?" I said bitterly. "He deserved it."  
Koda was silent for a moment before he sighed.  
He put an arm around me and began to lead me away from them, Cedric followed, just behind.  
"Just ignore them, ok you two?" He murmured.  
"Fine."

* * *

It was after Christmas, the school term had begun again, yet the tension between Koda and Riley hadn't resolved, and it had been well over a month since the first Slytherin vs Gryffindor match. Hermione and Harry were thrilled with the information that they had (eventually) found on Nicholas Flamel, while Ron was ecstatic that he had even researched something at all.  
The four of us relaxed in the Gryffindor common room one evening as Ron bragged about the overall size of the book that he had used to research, giving us a blow-by-blow overview of his encounter with it.  
"Oh well done," I said, clapping my hands slowly. "I'm sure that it was incredibly dangerous."  
Ron's ears went pink. "I didn't mean it like that."  
I placed my Transfiguration text book on my lap, my eyes swept across the Common Room; Lavender Brown and the Patil twins were sitting on the floor next to the glowing fire, chatting happily. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan sat at a nearby table, playing a game of chess while Neville watched, and, over in the far corner Fred and George Weasley, Lee Jordan and Koda Ryder were discussing the results of a Quidditch match between Spain and Wales. Other than them, the Common Room was completely empty.  
"Right," I said, scribbling a footnote down into my text book and closing it gently. "I think I'm going to visit Cedric. I haven't seen him since the start of term." I placed my book on the table beside me and stood, making my way over to the portrait.  
"Right," Ron called after me. "Give Ceddykinz a snog and say it was from Neville, ok?"  
("What?" said Neville, bewildered.)  
I paused at the open doorway and made a face at him before leaving the Common Room.  
Easily the best thing about Cedric was that he always hung out in the same spot during his free time, which made tracking him down in this humongous castle a lot easier.  
I made my way towards the familiar courtyard, sighing as I entered it. A large pack of Slytherin clustered on the seats around the entrance, Riley and Flint amongst them.  
"Oy, Costello!" I heard Riley call. "Come here!"  
I clenched my fists, trying to ignore him. On the other side of the courtyard, Cedric stood, watching the group intently.  
When I didn't turn, I heard footsteps behind me and soon, my path was blocked.  
"Costello," Riley said, standing in front of me. "I was talking to you."  
"You were?" I said airily. "I didn't notice. Now, if you'll excuse me-" I side stepped around him. "-I have someone that I want to see."  
Continuing on my way across the courtyard, I heard Riley call out; "We're leaving. Koda and I won't be at Hogwarts next for much longer."  
I stopped for a moment, turning to face him. His lips curled up into a coy smile and he turned around to return to his mob.  
"I don't believe you," I called after him.  
Riley sniggered and looked over his shoulder. "Fine then. It's your loss."  
He's lying, I reassured myself. Koda would have told me himself if he was leaving.  
"Hey," Cedric greeted. "Everything ok?"  
I blinked. I didn't seem to realise that I was standing right in front of Cedric until he spoke.  
"Uh, yeah, everything's fine. Anyway, I just came to pass something on to you."  
Cedric smiled uncertainly, so I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. "That's from Neville."

* * *

The next morning, Hermione, Koda and I went down to breakfast early, and as expected, there were only a few people scattered throughout the Great Hall, as per usual on a Sunday.  
"Do you just want to get some toast and go for a walk around the lake?" Hermione suggested.  
Koda nodded and I smiled. "That sounds good."  
We had stacked up a few pieces of toast onto a napkin then made our way out into the Entrance Hall.  
"Ruins all of my days," I heard Koda mutter darkly.  
I bit my lip; Riley's gang of Slytherin's were emerging from their dungeon Common Room, and by the looks of it, they had recruited none other than Draco Malfoy and his cronies into their ranks.  
"Hey, Koda," Riley said lightly as he (and his goons) crossed the entrance. "I told her already, so you don't need to waste your breath."  
Hermione looked between Riley, Koda and I, confused. "Told who what?" she asked.  
He was in front of us now. "I mean, Granger, that I've already told Costello that brother here, and I are leaving," he said casually.  
I shouldered past him. "C'mon, let's just go."  
"Oooh," came the snide reply of Malfoy. "Someone's touchy this morning."  
I spun around on a heel and hurled my half eaten piece of jam toast at him, sniggering when it sloped all down the front of his sweater.  
Not wanting to hang around to hear his retort, I dragged Hermione and Koda out into the safety of the cold, crisp grounds.  
"Riley's right, Blaire," Koda said quietly once we had reached the bank of the lake. "We _are_ leaving."

* * *

I lay in the hospital wing, eyes closed, fresh cuts bandaged. Hermione was two beds down from mine, reading.  
I jolted awake, my head swimming with the events of the previous night.  
"Harry did it…" I muttered, looking around the brightly lit Hospital Wing. My eyes scanned the room, falling on a bed encircled by a curtain. As for Ron, he was on the farthest bed from us, his loud snoring echoing off the walls.  
"Good morning," Hermione smiled, touching the gash on her cheek gingerly as she did so.  
"Harry's over there, isn't he?" I said slowly.  
Hermione nodded. "Yes, but Madam Promfey said that he'll be alright in a couple of days. On the other hand," she added, changing the subject rather quickly when I shot a worried look in the direction of Harry's bed. "Cedric came to visit you earlier."  
"Oh?" I asked, my brows arching. "And you didn't wake me, why?"  
"Cause he said you looked so peaceful when you slept," she answered innocently. "Anyway, he wanted to know how you were doing. Gave you some flowers, too."  
She gestured to a vase filled with purple and yellow roses.  
I smiled for a second before a question came to mind.  
"Mione'?" I asked after a while. "Did Koda come and visit, too?"  
She frowned. "Blaire, he, er… He and Riley left yesterday afternoon while you and Harry were in the library studying. He told me he didn't want to bother you there. He did give me this though."  
Pushing her quilt back, she got to her feet and crossed the room, handing me a scrunched up piece of parchment.  
I unfolded it, flattening it out against my knees where the short note was written; 'I'm sorry, Blaire. Goodbye' was scribbled hastily across it.

* * *

**Authors notes; Lalala. I really don't have anything to say about this. Erm…  
*thinks for a second* I've got roughly nine chapters of this written –and untouched for goodness knows how long. So, this was just a quick glance-over and is probably still riddled in errors.  
That is all.**

_**Chrome Hearts out.**_

R&R!


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